IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i16p8614-d614737.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Social Network Site Addiction on Depression in Chinese Medical Students: A Serial Multiple Mediator Model Involving Loneliness and Unmet Interpersonal Needs

Author

Listed:
  • Ruijie Gong

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
    Department of Prevention of Acute Infectious Diseases and Immunization, Xuhui Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200237, China
    The two authors contribute equally to this study/work.)

  • Yinghuan Zhang

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
    The two authors contribute equally to this study/work.)

  • Rusi Long

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China)

  • Rui Zhu

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China)

  • Sicong Li

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China)

  • Xinyi Liu

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China)

  • Suping Wang

    (Department of Discipline Planning, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China)

  • Yong Cai

    (School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China)

Abstract

The use of social network sites (SNSs) is inevitable in daily life. Everyone is likely to be addicted to SNSs, especially medical students. This study is aimed to assess the degree of SNS addiction and its relation to psychosocial factors such as depression, loneliness and unmet interpersonal needs among Chinese medical students. The cross-section survey was conducted from March to May in 2018 in Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Of the total 1067 participants, 33.18% had an SNS addiction, 87.7% of the participants used SNSs every day during last month and 53.42% of the participants used SNSs for at least an hour per day during the last week. SNS addiction is positively related with depression both directly and indirectly. The mediating roles of loneliness and unmet interpersonal needs on the relationship between SNS addiction and depression are significant. For the well-being of medical students, efforts should be taken to prevent them from becoming addicted to SNSs.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruijie Gong & Yinghuan Zhang & Rusi Long & Rui Zhu & Sicong Li & Xinyi Liu & Suping Wang & Yong Cai, 2021. "The Impact of Social Network Site Addiction on Depression in Chinese Medical Students: A Serial Multiple Mediator Model Involving Loneliness and Unmet Interpersonal Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-8, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8614-:d:614737
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8614/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8614/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daria J. Kuss & Mark D. Griffiths, 2017. "Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Samira Ranaeiy & Mohammad Taghavi & Mohammad Goodarzi, 2016. "The Effect of Loneliness on Social Networking Sites Use and Its Related Behaviors," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(8), pages 162-162, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lavinia Maria Pop & Magdalena Iorga & Raluca Iurcov, 2022. "Body-Esteem, Self-Esteem and Loneliness among Social Media Young Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Yonghua Chen & Xi Liu & Dorothy T. Chiu & Ying Li & Baibing Mi & Yue Zhang & Lu Ma & Hong Yan, 2022. "Problematic Social Media Use and Depressive Outcomes among College Students in China: Observational and Experimental Findings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Cecilia Cheng & Yan-Ching Lau, 2022. "Social Media Addiction during COVID-19-Mandated Physical Distancing: Relatedness Needs as Motives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-14, April.
    4. Fengxia Lai & Lihong Wang & Jiyin Zhang & Shengnan Shan & Jing Chen & Li Tian, 2023. "Relationship between Social Media Use and Social Anxiety in College Students: Mediation Effect of Communication Capacity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    5. Youlai Zeng & Jiahui Zhang & Jiaxin Wei & Shunyu Li, 2022. "The Impact of Undergraduates’ Social Isolation on Smartphone Addiction: The Roles of Academic Anxiety and Social Media Use," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-16, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daria J. Kuss & Lydia Harkin & Eiman Kanjo & Joel Billieux, 2018. "Problematic Smartphone Use: Investigating Contemporary Experiences Using a Convergent Design," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Lara Scherer & Lisa Mader & Klaus Wölfling & Manfred E. Beutel & Boris Egloff & Kai W. Müller, 2022. "Nosological Characteristics in Women with Social Media Disorder: The Role of Social Functional Impairment and Agreeableness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    3. Melina A. Throuvala & Mark D. Griffiths & Mike Rennoldson & Daria J. Kuss, 2019. "A ‘Control Model’ of Social Media Engagement in Adolescence: A Grounded Theory Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, November.
    4. Steven S. Chan & Michelle Van Solt & Ryan E. Cruz & Matthew Philp & Shalini Bahl & Nuket Serin & Nelson Borges Amaral & Robert Schindler & Abbey Bartosiak & Smriti Kumar & Murad Canbulut, 2022. "Social media and mindfulness: From the fear of missing out (FOMO) to the joy of missing out (JOMO)," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 1312-1331, September.
    5. Majid Altuwairiqi & Nan Jiang & Raian Ali, 2019. "Problematic Attachment to Social Media: Five Behavioural Archetypes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-36, June.
    6. Sarah Helene Aarestad & Tine Almenning Flaa & Mark D. Griffiths & Ståle Pallesen, 2023. "Smartphone Addiction and Subjective Withdrawal Effects: A Three-Day Experimental Study," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    7. José-María Romero-Rodríguez & Inmaculada Aznar-Díaz & José-Antonio Marín-Marín & Rebeca Soler-Costa & Carmen Rodríguez-Jiménez, 2020. "Impact of Problematic Smartphone Use and Instagram Use Intensity on Self-Esteem with University Students from Physical Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-10, June.
    8. Min-Jung Kwak & Hyun Cho & Dai-Jin Kim, 2022. "The Role of Motivation Systems, Anxiety, and Low Self-Control in Smartphone Addiction among Smartphone-Based Social Networking Service (SNS) Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Zhou, Fei & Lin, Youhai & Mou, Jian & Cohen, Jason & Chen, Sihua, 2023. "Understanding the dark side of gamified interactions on short-form video platforms: Through a lens of expectations violations theory," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PB).
    10. Goodness Chinazor Joshua Chukwuere & Joshua Ebere Chukwuere, 2023. "The Difficulties Posed by Digital Technology: Understanding the Psychological Consequences of Social Media Use on Young Adults' Body Image and Self-Esteem," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 12, November.
    11. Alessandro Costantini & Cristina Semeraro & Pasquale Musso & Rosalinda Cassibba & Gabrielle Coppola, 2022. "The Role of Parenting, Dysregulation and Self-Esteem in Adolescents’ Problematic Social Network Site Use: A Test of Parallel and Serial Mediation Models in a Healthy Community Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-14, October.
    12. Olatz Lopez-Fernandez, 2018. "Generalised Versus Specific Internet Use-Related Addiction Problems: A Mixed Methods Study on Internet, Gaming, and Social Networking Behaviours," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-33, December.
    13. Montserrat Peris & Usue de la Barrera & Konstanze Schoeps & Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla, 2020. "Psychological Risk Factors that Predict Social Networking and Internet Addiction in Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-23, June.
    14. Honglei Mu & Qiaojie Jiang & Jiang Xu & Sijing Chen, 2022. "Drivers and Consequences of Short-Form Video (SFV) Addiction amongst Adolescents in China: Stress-Coping Theory Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-18, October.
    15. Alicia Tamarit & Konstanze Schoeps & Montserrat Peris-Hernández & Inmaculada Montoya-Castilla, 2021. "The Impact of Adolescent Internet Addiction on Sexual Online Victimization: The Mediating Effects of Sexting and Body Self-Esteem," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    16. Bernard Claverie & Baptiste Prébot, 2024. "Low-level cognitive warfare: The War of the brains [La guerre cognitive de bas niveau : la guerre des cerveaux]," Post-Print hal-04475734, HAL.
    17. Hiu Yan Wong & Hoi Yi Mo & Marc N. Potenza & Mung Ni Monica Chan & Wai Man Lau & Tsz Kwan Chui & Amir H. Pakpour & Chung-Ying Lin, 2020. "Relationships between Severity of Internet Gaming Disorder, Severity of Problematic Social Media Use, Sleep Quality and Psychological Distress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-13, March.
    18. Zeyang Yang & Mark D. Griffiths & Zhihao Yan & Wenting Xu, 2021. "Can Watching Online Videos Be Addictive? A Qualitative Exploration of Online Video Watching among Chinese Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    19. Mohammad Saud Alotaibi & Mim Fox & Robyn Coman & Zubair Ahmed Ratan & Hassan Hosseinzadeh, 2022. "Smartphone Addiction Prevalence and Its Association on Academic Performance, Physical Health, and Mental Well-Being among University Students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-17, March.
    20. Caterina Primi & Giulia Fioravanti & Silvia Casale & Maria Anna Donati, 2021. "Measuring Problematic Facebook Use among Adolescents and Young Adults with the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale: A Psychometric Analysis by Applying Item Response Theory," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-15, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8614-:d:614737. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.